Aviation

Malysian Airforce may purchase Tejas MK1 with this condition.

The indigenously developed Indian fighter jet is being outfitted for export. It recently participated in airshows in Sri Lanka, Dubai, and Singapore, where it displayed an amazing air performance. As it completes its Tejas Mark 1 version functioning model, it is now searching for an international customer. It is now being developed into aircraft with various sorts of armament systems.

However, only a few nations provide HAL customization for the equipment supplier. As a result, the Malaysian Air Force has been urged to replace Israeli-made missiles with Indian or European-made missiles.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is the manufacturer. According to a reliable source, Tejas will be delivered to Malaysia’s FLIT-LCA programme without the Israeli-made Elta ELM-2032 multimode radar or any other Israeli equipment, as most of the systems would be replaced with French or Indian systems depending on customer requirements. Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, does not recognise the existence of Israel.

As Chinese JF 17 is kicked out of the race already. India’s Tejas to offer Malaysia with France and Indian Made defense system will exclude the Israeli origin component as per the Malaysian Request.

The Tejas (single-seat) aircraft has been offered to the Royal Malaysian Air Force, together with the Uttam AESA Fire Control Radar, Head-up Display (HUD) unit, and Damocles targeting pod, as well as the DRDO-developed Helmet Mounted Display and Sight (HMDS).

The Royal Malaysian Air Force needs 18 planes to replace its inventory of BAE Systems Hawk 108 trainers and Hawk 208 light-attack jets. Eight of these platforms will be utilised primarily for lead-in-fighter training, with the remaining ten being Light Combat Jets, according to the RMAF. The RMAF plans to purchase 36 LCA/FLIT systems in two phases, with 18 planes arriving in 2021 and the rest in 2025.

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In February 2021, at a ceremony in Bengaluru, HAL signed a $6.58 billion contract to deliver 73 new Tejas Mk1A LCA jets and 10 new Tejas Mk1 two-seat training jets to the IAF.

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Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.